Child&#39;s car or vehicle.



E. P. ELZEY.

CHILDS CAR 0R VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-19,1915.

Patented Apr. 29, 1919.

2 SHEET.SSHEET l.

vwemto z E. P. ELZEY.

CHILD'S CAH 0R VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.19, 191B.

1 3@2,335 Patented Apr. 29, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

a l we who z EDGAR P. ELZEY, F PARKJERSJBURG, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR. TO THE AFT-T0 PLAY GOODS COMP, 01E PKERSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA, A

VIRGINIA.

. objects and nature of the invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art in the light of the following description of the accompanying drawings illustrating what I now believe to be the preferred Inc-- chanical expression or embodiment of my invention from among other forms, constructions and arrangements within the spirit and scope thereof.

An object of the invention is'to improve and simplify the construction of such cars or vehicles that are propelled by the feet of the children seated thereon, or that are used for coasting, with the ends in view of rendering such cars easy to steer, safe in op-v eration, strong and durable in construction, easy to repair, and to overcome the tendency of most cars ofthistype to lean or tilt latorally or sidewise.

A further object of the invention involves improvements in the steering heads of cars of this type and the manner of coupling the car running gear thereto.

With these and other-objects in view my invention consists in certain :novel features in construction, and in combinations and arrangements as more fully and' particularly set forth and specified hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings Figure 1, is a side elevation. Fig. 2, is afront elevation of the steering hea Fig. 3, is a top plan of the car.

Fig. 4, is a rear elevation of the. car, the upper portion of the steering head being broken away. t

Figs. 5, 6, and 7, are detail views showing various toys mounted-in the opening in the steering head.

In the particular example illustrated, the main supporting frame or member of the vehicle consists of a longitudinal-@pla-nk 1 arranged on edge and at its front end con-" pled to the steering head and at .its'rear end coupled to the rear axle. This plank forins Specification of Letters Patent.

CORPQMTION 015 WEST CHILD'S 0R VEHICLE.

Patented Apr. 2a, 11ers.

Application filed August 19, 1am. Serial No. 250,562.

the coupler or reach bar of the vehicle and directly supports the seat board 2 which rests on the top edge thereof and is suitably fixedthereto. This seat is horizontal and arranged longitudinally of the coupler and can be of any suitable form and construction, although as. shown it consists of a board having a. centrally reduced front end to be stradd ed by the child When seated on the board.

The coupler is located a distance above the.

bolster and is supported thereby and held spaced therefrom through the medium of a cross brace or bar 6 and vertical posts 7. The cross bar rests against the under surface of'the seat and traverses the rear end thereof and is suitably secured thereto, while the rear upper corner of the rear end of the ceive the cross bar to which it is preferably secured midway between the ends of said bar. I show a pair of the posts 7 and these posts are vertical and spaced a distance apart andfixed to the end portions of the cross bar and bolster. For instance, the upper ends of the posts can be fixed in vertical holes bored in the end portions of the cross bar while the lower ends of the posts can be fixed in vertical holes bored in the end portions of the bolster, so that the cross bar, posts and bolster form a rigid frame of fixedly united parts. This frame can be braced and rendered rigid with respect to the coupler 1 by an inclined metal brace 9 at its elevated front end fixed to the lower intermediate portion of the coupler and at its depressed rear end fixed to the central portion of the axle structure, preferably to the bolster .by one or more'screws 10 or the like. The seat board is fixed to the coupler, and the cross bar Gisfixed to the seat board and preferably to the coupler, and the brace 9 extends down from the coupler to the rear axle while the 'posts'? are fixed to the cross bar and bolster. A most strong structure is thus produced. I

The front fork or steering head consists of a vertical approximately oblong Wooden plank or bar 11 longitudinally slotted at its lower end to receive the front wheel 12 which is mounted on transverse-pin or axle.

13 extending transversely through the lower slotted end of the bar and if so desired headed at its opposite ends to brace said bar against splitting. llf so desired washers It can be arranged on the axle between the Wheel and the adjoining edges of the bar. The upper end of the bar 11 is preferably reduced in width and concaved at its upper end face to receive the center of the transverse handle bar 15 which is rigidly fixed and secured to the head 11 in any suitable manner, as by! vertical bolt or bolts 16 extending down transversely through the handle bar and extending a suitable distance into and longitudinally of the head wherein 7 such bolt can be anchored by nut 17 on the lower end of the bolt and located in a hole bored from front to rear or otherwise through the thickness of the plank forming wardly projecting upper and lower wooden coupling pin bearing blocks 18 fitting the rear flat face of the head and rigidly secured thereto by bolts or headed rivets 19 extending through said blocks and the head. The front end of the coupler 1 extends forwardly between these two blocks, and is equipped with a vertical hinge, coupling or king pin 20 mounted in alined vertical holes or hearing openings in the blocks preferably so that the vertical axis of the hinge connection thus established is spaced rearwardly from the rear face of the steering head and is parallel with the longitudinal axis of said head. The said coupling pin is preferably formed of wood of greater length than the vertical width of the plank forming coupler 1 so that the ends of the pin project upwardly and downwardly toextend through the bearing blocks 18. The pin is fitted in the concaved vertical front edge of the coupler and is rigidly secured to said coupler in any suitable manner, as by bolts 21 extending through the pin and rearwardly in and longitudinally of the coupler in which they are anchored in any suitable manner as by nuts 22 located in holes bored transversely through the coupler.

In View of the width of the plank used to form the steering head I prefer to brace and strengthen the same against warping and splitting by headed rivets 23 extending throughout the width thereof from edge to edge and arranged at suitable intervals between the slot receiving the wheel and the neoaaaa the steering head or support various objects of interest to the child, such as toys, at a position in front of and easily accessible to the child on the seat. F or instance, there is ample length and width of plank between the upper hearing block 18 and the reduced upper end of the head for the formation of a central vertical slot to receive and permit fastening the representation of a horse head 25 cut from a wooden board and at its rear end fitted and secured in said slot. If so desired, an opening 26 can be cut in said portion of the head and a bell 27 can be hung therein from one of the rivets 23, or a toy gun 28, might be arranged in said opening and mounted on a rivet 23 to swing vertically as indicated by dotted lines. A flash light 29 might be mounted in such opening by suitable means so that said light can be swung to forwardly projecting horizontal position or to normal inactive vertical position. I have more or less diagrammatically indicated some among other toys that might be mounted in the head and in front of the child, the essential point of this feature of my invention being the presence of the opening in the head to receive any suitable toy at such position.

I gain advantages by forming the steering head or fork of one piece of material 2'. e. in this instance by a wooden plank; and. by arranging the steering head in advance of the coupler and the seat board; and 1 also provide a strong support and gain easy steering and control by providing the coupling pin and block connection between the steering head and coupler; and I also gain strength and durability by the peculiar structure between the rear axle and coupler and seatboard, and in this connection itwill be noted that the open space between the posts 7 affords the child room for either foot, or in fact both feet, when coasting. In other words the child can stand on the bolster, with his feet between the posts, and can grasp the handle bar when coasting. Also, the child can rest one foot on the bolster while grasping the handle bar, and propelling the car by contacting the pavement with his other foot.

It is evident that various changes, modifications and variations might be resorted to, that l'eaturesmight be left off or other features added. without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. and hence I donot wish to limit myself to the exactd isclt iis'i-ires hereof.

What 1 claim is:

l. A child's vehicle comprising a coupler, a seatboard fixed thereon, said coupler notched at its upper rear corner. a cross bar in said notch and against the under side of the sea't board. a bolster provided with a wheeled axle. and vertical supporting posts at their lower ends fixed to the end portions of the bolster and at their upper ends fixed to the end portion of the cross bar.

. '12. A child's vehicle comprising a longitudinal coupler composed of a plank set on edge, a longitudinal horizontal seat board on the top edge of said coupler and secured thereto, said coupler projecting forwardly in advance of said board, a rear wheeled support for said coupler and plank embodying fixed vertical posts spaced apart so that the child can place his feet between the posts when coasting, and a wheeled front steering head supporting and pivotally coupled to the front end of said coupler.

3. A childs car comprising'a plank arranged on edge and forming the longitudinal coupler of the car, a horizontal seat board on the top edge of said plank and fixed thereto, a vertical front wheeled steering head arranged in advance of said board and plank and having pivotal supporting connection with the front end of the plank, and a rear wheeled support, embodying spaced supporting uprights and a foot rest between said uprights.

4:. A childs car embodying a longitudinal body providing a seat; a rear wheeled support for said body comprising spaced uprights at their upper ends fixed to said body, a foot rest between the lower ends of said uprights, and an upwardly and forwardly extending brace at its front upper end secured tothe body and at its lower rear end secured to said wheeled support; a vertical wheeled cal seat, a vertical pin fitting said seat and having upwardly and downwardly projecting ends, means rigidly fixing said pin in said seat and to the body, a vertical wheeled front steering head in advance of the body and having fixed bearing members projecting rearwardly from its rear face above and below the front end of the body and loosely 7 receiving said ends of the fixed pin, and a rear wheeled support for the body.

(3. A childs car comprising a body embodying a longitudinal plank arranged on edge and projecting forwardly, a vertical pin fixed to the vertical front edge of said plank and having projecting ends, bolts fixing said pin and extending into said plank, nuts in the plank anchoring the bolts, a wheeled front steering head supporting the front end of the body and having means loosely receiving said pin ends, and a wheeled support for the rear end of said body. I

7. -A childs car comprising a body having a wheeled rear support, and a front wheeled steering head having pivotal body-supporting connection with the front of the body, said head embodying an upright plank having a cross handle fitting the top edge thereof, a securing bolt for said handle extending longitudinally into the plank, and a nut in the plank receiving and anchoring said bolt, substantially as described.

8. A childs car comprising a body having a seat and a rear wheeled support, a vertical wheeled front steering head having pivotal connection with the body, said head embodying a plank having a top handle and be tween the pivotal connection and handle formed with a transverse opening in front of said seat, and a toy carried by said head at said opening, substantially as described.

9. A childs car comprising a body having a wheeled support, and a front wheeled steering head arranged in front of said body and having pivotal supporting connection t-herewitl1,'said head embodying an upright plank having a handle at its upper end and a rod extending through the plank between the handle and pivotal connection, said plank having an opening extending forwardly therethrough adjacent to said rod, and a toy arranged in said opening and movably supported by said plank.

EDGAR P. ELZEY. 

